While most Sports Illustrated swimsuit models were posing on the beaches of Boracay Island in the Philippines or Maui, Brazilian surfer Bruna Schmitz, Paraguayan javelin thrower Leryn Franco and U.S. volleyball star Kim Glass were modelling their minuscule swimwear in Banff last July.

The models are depicted in the current issue of Sports Illustrated, which hit magazine racks Tuesday. While the athletic bodies of the models were on display in the Rockies, the eight-day shoot was kept under wraps.

The event was a major coup for Banff and Lake Louise, as well as the Banff Springs Hotel, which hosted the entourage and the photography crew. The magazine reaches an estimated 60 million adults annually.

"Canada is a very sexy destination," says Fairmont Properties spokeswoman Lori Cote. "It's not what your parents or grandparents might have thought of, but it's what the younger generation can definitely see is a pretty cool place to visit."

This year's swimsuit issue should go a long way to snuffing out the myth that Canada is the only a land of long johns and snowsuits. But we may have to change the Parks Canada signs to read: Do Not Feed The Bares.

sex scandals in politics

Alberta politics are expected to warm up over the next few months with the two established major parties selecting new leaders before going toe-totoe in a provincial election that might actually not be a foregone conclusion like many of those in the past.

But it is doubtful Alberta politics will get as heated as in Italy where the 74-year-old Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is embroiled in a major sex scandal involving a 17-year-old stripper.

That's not to say it hasn't happened here, too. Alberta had its own major sex scandal involving a premier more than 70 years ago. John Edward Brownlee was accused of seduction by an 18-year-old provincial government stenographer. The young woman and her father sued Brownlee in court. A jury sided with the father and daughter and awarded them $15,000 in damages, but the judge overturned the verdict. Despite his categorical denial of the allegations and the judge's actions to erase the jury verdict, Brownlee recognized his political career was in tatters and submitted his resignation five days later on July 5, 1934.

In Italy, Berlusconi, is not likely to get much help from the bench. He faces trial on a sex charge as well as a charge of using his office to try to cover up the alleged sexual encounter with the teen. His opponents have expressed delight over the announcement that the prime minister's case will be decided by three women judges. Italy's largest Roman Catholic magazine is relishing in their appointment on its website, saying Berlusconi used women "in a bad way" and "now women themselves will mete out justice."

Berlusconi's alleged consort went by the nickname "Ruby the Heart Stealer." That might not be all she gets.

$5.50 adMittance Fee?

It appears Barack Obama wants to balance his budget on the backs of Canadian visitors. The U.S. president's administration is seeking to charge airline passengers entering the country a $5.50 fee in a bid to generate $110 million annually. With about 16 million Canadians flying to the United States every year, the head tax on Canadians will raise the lion's share of that amount -about $90 million.

Travellers from other countries already pay the levy, but visitors from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean were previously exempt. Fortunately, the new fee, if it goes ahead, will not be charged to Canadians entering the United States by automobile.

The reasoning behind the levy is that it is needed to offset the cost of border security. Some international trade experts believe this is just the beginning of a series of tariffs that could soon be coming.

While a $5.50 surcharge is not likely to stop Canadians from flying to the United States for work and play, it is offensive. U.S. authorities say it isn't meant to be that way. They're just trying to clean up a financial mess any way they can. The amount may be trivial now, probably less than admittance to a movie, but that doesn't mean it will always be insignificant. There's still a chance the proposed tariff won't make it through Congress. U.S. political pundits say you have to admire Obama's thinking. He has found a way to tax people who can't vote against him.

we want a tunnel, too

Reaction across Edmonton to news that Calgary was planning to spend $295 million on a tunnel under its airport was predictable. Capital city residents began marching in the streets and chanting: "We want a tunnel, too." Or so the joke goes.

But we have to take our hats off to Calgary today because they are hosting the Heritage Classic. It takes a lot of effort to host an outdoor hockey game, and we hope the matches, featuring the Calgary and Montreal stars of yesteryear as well as the current Habs and Flames squads, go well. Enjoy the day. It should be a fantastic experience -and very, very Canadian.

The forecast is for relatively balmy weather and good crowds, although nowhere near the number that attended Edmonton's Heritage Classic, the first held in an NHL city, back in 2003.

Yes, Calgary, we did come up with the idea first. We don't mean to brag, but our classic drew 57,167 fans despite wind-chill temperatures of -30 C. They came out to see two of the greatest players in the game, Wayne Gretzky versus Guy Lafleur. And just for the record, the souvenirs sold at our event were real -not like the counterfeit stuff Calgarians are being warned to watch out for at their event.

And speaking of real deals, did we mention that our Oilers have won five Stanley Cups?